lecaméléon
Member
my silkmoths recently mated and now I am approached with the question, how do you incubate silkworm eggs? Do they require a diapause? How do I know if the eggs are infertile? Help please! 
Silkworm eggs?!
- Thread starter lecaméléon
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ToastyCham
Avid Member
Hi! @MissSkittles has bred silkworms before so she would be able to help you.
MissSkittles
Chameleon Enthusiast
First - how to tell if the eggs are fertilized. Wait a few days and the fertile eggs will turn dark. Wait until they are almost black/dark grey or brown and then put in a warm fridge (about 55F). I find mine do best if they spend at least 3 months in the cool.my silkmoths recently mated and now I am approached with the question, how do you incubate silkworm eggs? Do they require a diapause? How do I know if the eggs are infertile? Help please!
Here’s a bunch of infertile eggs that stayed cream colored and the fertile ones have darkened.
These eggs failed for whatever reason and died. You can tell as they caved in on themselves.
To hatch, I place the eggs in a warmer place and will also make sure they have some decent humidity. Generally the top of my leopard gecko tank is warm enough (near their uvb light) and I’ll put a small moistened sponge or paper towel beside their container.
Before hatching, the eggs will lighten up a bit and one day you’ll be greeted with itty bitty silkies.
They’ll be hungry, so make sure to make a fresh batch of chow for them and give them tiny bits…just enough for one day. It dries quickly, so you’ll have to replace it at least daily.
I don’t move them until they get their little white heads. Then I just move the piece of chow that they’re on and place them right next to a fresh bit of chow so they can easily move to it. Any strays that remain I use a toothpick to gently move.
They grow kind of slowly for the first few weeks. Once they reach feeder size, they will then grow faster. For some reason, I find there’s always some that stay tiny while the others grow and even cocoon before the tiny ones are close to feeder size.
lecaméléon
Member
Thank you!!! That answered most of my questions! I have a couple more if you don’t mind.
My silkmoths were stuck together and i had to physically pull them apart. They were attached for about 4 hours until i stepped in. The female was like clawing at the male. Is that normal? Also, she laid a lot of eggs. Like at least 50 on a napkin and after she laid more on my hand and in my cham cage before he ate her. Is that normal?
and is there a such thing as inbreeding in silkworms? Thank you for your response.
My silkmoths were stuck together and i had to physically pull them apart. They were attached for about 4 hours until i stepped in. The female was like clawing at the male. Is that normal? Also, she laid a lot of eggs. Like at least 50 on a napkin and after she laid more on my hand and in my cham cage before he ate her. Is that normal? and is there a such thing as inbreeding in silkworms? Thank you for your response.
MissSkittles
Chameleon Enthusiast
I use small paper or plastic cups to keep my moth pairs from being disturbed by the crazy unmated males. After about 10-12 hours of being joined, I will carefully separate them (gently put slight pressure near the rear end of the male) and usually the female gets right down to laying her eggs. The males only want to mate and will do so and remain joined even after his girl dies and until he dies. If there is another male nearby, he’ll then try to hook up with the female and she won’t be able to lay her eggs. I’ve never really seen the female clawing at the male, but when she’s starting to curl up almost in a fetal position, I assume that is when she is starting to get distressed and needs to get her eggs out. I give them a few days to go thru all of their processes.
